As a creator, you may frequently hear the terms ‘cross-platform’ and ‘multi-platform’ content or even cross-media. If you’re not sure what this means or how to build and grow your channels, we’re here to help.
Whilst you may have a large following on your primary channel, have you considered your multiplatform reach?
Grab a pen and paper and enjoy our must-have guide on tailoring your content creation for each platform. In 2023, audiences expect nothing but the best – so get ready to level up.
The Benefits
Branding yourself as a multi-platform creator is advantageous for so many reasons. Not only does it allow you better monetisation opportunities, but importantly, brands want to work with adaptable and easy-to-market creators.
Did you know? Only 50% of Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook users also use TikTok, according to the 2022 Digital Report from We Are Social. That means you have two distinct audiences who require attention, one of which may be completely unaware that you exist.
For brands, working with creators with a multi-platform audience also means booking someone who truly understands each platform's characteristics. Mumbrella highlights that knowing what type of content drives meaningful engagement is key to your success.
The more you create, the more you will uncover how best to deliver your messaging to each specific audience. This will make you proactive, creative and versatile.
Tell A Story
Many creators come and go, but those who consistently retain audiences and build their channel over time are master storytellers.
What we mean by this is that your content must provide value and insight into the lives of your audience.
Consider the best types of content you like to consume – and emulate that.
We’re confident that the best content is:
- Relatable and Authentic: How can you share moments from your life that audiences can relate to? Behind the flashy things and fun overseas trips, what are your daily experiences that are honest and real? Don’t be afraid to be imperfect.
- Consistent: Audiences want to feel that their creators are constantly sharing. We’re all for taking breaks when you need them (health comes first) but ensure you don’t fall off the bandwagon posting, as audience numbers will dwindle when you do.
- Funny or Positive: The days of ‘spilling the tea’ is long gone. Audiences seek positive, feel-good content that inspires and empowers them. You need to strike a balance between sharing what’s real (the bad and sad parts, too) and uplifting overall messaging.
- Valuable: At every turn, and with each piece of content, you should ask yourself, ‘How does this bring value?’. This is what will keep audiences coming back for more.
Leverage Your Skills
Not all platforms are created equal. You will likely have one platform (perhaps the one you started with) where the content creation feels easy.
You should lean into this and adopt this as your Primary Channel. Our tips:
1. Consider how you can adapt your content. For example, if you create long-form YouTube videos, you can cut these down to mini-vlogs that will sit across Instagram and Tik Tok.
2. Batch record/shoot your content which will free up your time to expand your skill set. If you’re not confident with Tik Tok or YouTube, set aside time to learn the basics.
3. Constantly remind your audience that they can now find you on other platforms, and be sure to link them directly to suitable content.
Build A Community
The most successful creators in the world have built an authentic and loyal community that loves to come along on the journey. Think of your audience as less like a ‘following’ or ‘fans’ and more like a community - a safe and fun space for like-minded people to connect.
Our tips for community building:
- Connect: Take time to respond to positive DMs and comments daily or weekly. Audiences want to know the person behind the lens.
- Share: Don’t be afraid to share more of the behind-the-scenes of your life. Ask audiences to send questions in, and answer them regularly as part of your content.
- Meet-Ups: For smaller platforms, organise meetups in your local city where like-minded creators and audiences can network.
- Branding: Once your channel grows, consider offering authentic and valuable branded items such as a Recipe eBook, Phone Accessories or a Limited Edition Jewellery Piece to further your reach.
Native Content Tips
Below are our must-have tips for each platform. If you currently only work on one platform, we suggest you pick one or two other platforms to focus on in 2023.
Aiming to do everything at once can be overwhelming, so you’ll need to find a routine and feel for the audience on each one before expanding to another.
Arguably the most popular platform, this is the place to house your short-form high-quality content released daily.
- Create varied content. Be sure to utilise all formats - Reels, Grid Posts, Stories, and Notes
- No copy and paste! Ensure your captions offer value and insight, not catchy one-liners that audiences are likely to scroll past
- Link your content on stories here to drive audiences to your other platforms
- Be sure to utilise paid and organic content alongside each other to reach a specific audience who may not see you in their ‘For You’ feed
- Leverage Sponsored Ads, Branded Content Ads plus offer baked-in ads as part of your content
Tik Tok
TikTok is where you can have some fun!
- Keep videos between 30 to 60 seconds
- Be sure to use trending sounds and songs
- Eye-catching, ‘viral’ content performs best here
- Utilise spark codes to boost your reach
- Volume is essential. Ensure you’re posting multiple times a day
Youtube
This is where you can offer audiences a more in-depth insight into your life with long-form content.
- Utilise Weekly Vlogs to show audiences what your life is like behind the scenes
- Consider Product Reviews
- Include a Call to Action- drive audiences to your website, Instagram or Tik Tok
- Collaborate with other creators on reviews and sit-down style talks
- Find your niche and maximise it - Lifestyle Vlogs, Movie/Book Reviews, True Crime, Sports and Training Tutorials etc
Podcast
Undoubtedly, the fastest-growing platform is podcasting – almost every creator wants to start one!
A podcast, whilst highly impactful, takes a lot of work. You want to ensure that your content is high quality, as audiences expect nothing less.
- Choose a genre and market it – comedy, scientific, sports-related etc.
- Engage a producer or audio engineer to edit your episodes
- Be sure to keep episodes between 30 and 60 minutes
- Release weekly episodes
- Collaborate with another creative to double your reach
BeReal
Whilst the notion of this new platform is to only connect with a smaller circle of friends and family, it can be immensely powerful to invite larger or chosen audiences to join you here.
- Keep it REAL. Resist the temptation to stage your photos. Just show what you’re up to in real-time.
Plan For Success
You may have many ideas about how to expand or improve your channels, but without planning for success, likely, most of these won’t come to fruition.
Our tips
- Use platforms like Later to automate your posting – or create your own content calendar (with specific filming and uploading days) to ensure consistency.
- Remind your audiences always to turn notifications on so they never miss when you post.
- Communicate a day audiences can expect to see long-form content, so they are ready and waiting to engage.
Audiences (and the algorithm) favour consistency. So be less concerned with perfect content and focus on just getting it out there for the world to enjoy.
Collaborating With Creators
It would be silly not to leverage the power of other creators who have different audiences than you!
You can choose creators you would like to work with across a Vlog, a Podcast or simply catch up to shoot content together.
The best thing about collaborating is reaching unique audiences who wouldn’t otherwise follow you. Be sure to choose someone with a similar following count in a different niche, and tag one another once posting.
Final Thoughts
If you’re genuinely passionate about content creation and want to reach the next level with your channels, this is the guide for you. Don’t be discouraged if the growth doesn’t come hard and fast – good things take time!
If you harness the tips of adequate planning, a commitment to knowing your audience, and creative and valuable content, you won’t look back. Let’s make 2023 your biggest year yet.
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